Someone who became the General Director of Banco Popular is highly qualified to give a solid testimony about who Luis Valls was and how he conducted himself. This is the case of Rafael Bermejo, who, except for a few years working outside the bank, accompanied Valls practically until his resignation around 2004.

Their relationship extended beyond the bank, with Bermejo recounting, “He would visit us at home many weekends, and we would end up talking about everything under the sun,” discussions in which his wife participated very actively. “Bermejo refers precisely to his wife, who used to say that Luis was ‘an exemplary person, of utmost politeness.'”

“One of the phrases I often heard from the Catalan banker was, ‘I like to influence, not command,'” says Bermejo. He assures that he saw Valls give a direct order very few times because he was “a natural leader” and did not need to make a fuss or exert excess force for his instructions to be carried out. Specifically, he defines this leader as having a sober character, which resulted, among other things, in less competitive salaries compared to other banks. However, the former General Director assured us that this leader provided excellent mental compensation, which motivated the group and made it cohesive. The bank’s results from those years are soundproof of this. Rafael Bermejo enthusiastically recounts an anecdote about Valls in which one of his guests witnessed him turning off the light after a meal. “Presidents don’t do those things; I’ve never seen anything like that.” It is a small anecdote, perhaps insignificant, but one that can reflect his character and the spirit of service and attention he transmitted throughout the organization.

Beyond his profile as a banker, his former General Director remembers him as “a person who read a lot, everything from novels and poetry to philosophy,” with an impressive intellectual background, something quite unusual in the banking sector.

Bermejo reminisces about the work ethic of the banker from the Beatriz building, including Saturdays and Sundays. He was always thinking about how to do things better every day. This culture was something Valls himself, by example, instilled throughout the organization.

Valls was exceptional and unique. At the end of his account, Bermejo insists on the adjective he began his testimony with: “an exemplary person.”